K-Pop powers Korean youth culture around the world

Pop music has always driven modern popular culture and as various music markets around the world mature, take on new technology and build their marketing punch, it is always an enlightening glimpse into the youth culture of that territory.

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Korea is a particularly interesting case given the rapid rise of K-Pop and its enormous popularity in the Asian youth market. Korean group Big Bang’s Tonight recently became the first K-Pop album to chart in the US Top 10. International producers are taking notice.

Austrade this year identified Korea as its top market of interest for cultural and business development grants, Korean motor vehicles are ubiquitous and the dedicated cable Korean TV is watched by over 300 million viewers in 32 countries. All this reflects a rapidly gathering international interest in all things Korean.

To further explore the K-Pop phenomenon and how it is transcending culture and language, The Communications Council is holding an informative event including Korean food, music and conversational insights into this burgeoning market.

Dirk Anthony, SBS director of audio and language content together with strategy and planning manager, Thang Ngo, are both K-Pop converts. They will discuss the relevance of this particular cross cultural pollination in a marketing communications context and what implications it holds for marketers, advertisers and anyone working working in a commercially creative industry.

Thang Ngo said that Korean cars, culture and fashion were already spreading through the world like wildfire.

“K-Pop is at the forefront of Korean culture. As it hits Australia, marketers can be riding this wave,” he said.

The event is being held this Thursday at Hotel CBD, corner of York and King streets, Sydney at 6.30pm. Further details are available here.

Article courtesy Australian Creative 31 May 2011